Summary

At Holobiome, Katya Gavrish is searching for new brain drugs in a seemingly unlikely place: human stool samples. Her eight-person company plans to capitalize on growing evidence from epidemiological and animal studies that link gut bacteria to conditions as diverse as autism, anxiety, and Alzheimer's disease. The allure is simple: Drug development for neuropsychiatric disorders has lagged for decades, and many existing drugs don't work for all patients and cause unwanted side effects. Some researchers prefer a less hurried approach focused on understanding the underlying biology. But Holobiome and a few other companies are eager to cash in on the burgeoning, multibillion-dollar market that has already sprung up for other microbial therapies.